Purpose

In a city of entrepreneurs, economic growth isn’t difficult. The hard work is bringing a sense of common purpose to idea people, encouraging them to build a new Edmonton as they build their companies.

It isn’t extraordinary to have an economic development organization. What’s extraordinary, in Edmonton, is the way we do it.

What we do

We work with businesspeople in Edmonton to take risks at three points in their evolution: as early-stage start-ups, as they seek investors and markets here and around the world, and as they prepare to make that jump from 100 employees to 1,000. We connect them to other entrepreneurs, to the City of Edmonton’s plans, and to the broader community. Edmonton is going through immense and exciting changes, thanks to what’s happening here and around the world. Change demands leadership.

Building an authentic brand

For too long, Edmonton’s reputation was a secondary consideration as we did what we do so well here: take ideas to reality. But we can’t put our image and reputation in a separate file. For all our other plans in Edmonton we need the best leaders and executives, the best researchers and scientists, the best workers, the best artists. An authentic brand is worth a billion dollars, not a million, and we’re building it with the entire community. It’s powering our tourism strategy and it’s at the core of the promise we make to visitors — to the Fringe and Fort Edmonton and to our convention centre. There isn’t a better place on the continent to take a risk and we want to tell you why.

Designing a city for the future

Economic development doesn’t work if it isn’t part of a broader strategy of social and cultural development, environmental leadership, and the way we design our city for the future. At EEDC, we don’t make decisions without considering every other move we’re making. And that includes you. How can we help?